It is designed to reinforce and build upon fundamental skills in writing and reading comprehension necessary to academic achievement. We would like all our students to be lifelong readers and writers, as the ability to critically analyze works and to write well will serve them well in every aspect of their academic and future professional lives. All classes will have the following assignments: grammar exercises, vocabulary development, reading, essay composition, reading comprehension questions, preparing for class discussion, outside research to related topics, and in-class quizzes and essays.

Competitive speech allows students to develop communication and organizational skills to succeed in school, university, and beyond. It is also a creative outlet that strengthens individual expression as well as empathy. Students involved in this program will have one on one coaching and weekly practice time where they will receive feedback from their peers. Individual work on one’s own is also required. Students will choose a piece of approximately 10 minute length from a selection provided by their coach. They may choose between Declamation (memorization required), or Prose (reading category, binder required). If they prefer to write their own speeches they may compete in Impromptu Speaking, a category where they deliver original speeches on varying topics with limited prep time.